Improvement in stage machinery for theaters



2Sheets--Sheet1l W. HYLAND. Stage-Machinery for Theaters.

PatentedvFeb. 31874.

INVENTUFL 2 Sheets--Shee 2.

w. HYLAND'.

Stege-Machinery for Theaters,

i v Patented Fe b.3,1.874.

-N0.147,eo5.

WITNESSES. INVENTUH.

EEIcE.

PATENT VILLIAM HYLAND, OF NEV ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

IMPROVEMENT IN STAGE MACHINERY FOR THEATERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 147,005, dated February 3,1874; application tiled March 18, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM HYLAND, of the city of New Orleans, parish of Orleans and State of Louisiana, have made certain Improvements in Stage-Grooves for Theaters and other public buildings; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and correct description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying illustrative drawing constituting a part of the said specification, in which- Sheet l represents a perspective view, and Sheet 2 a side elevation, of my improvement.

The object of my improvement is to provide a simple, ready, expeditious, and efficient means of enlarging at pleasure the scenic area of the stages of theaters and other public buildings designed for public exhibitions. To the end of accomplishing this object, I have invented a means, as hereinafter more fully described, of elevating` or lowering at pleasure what may not improperly be called the ily-gallery stack of grooves, or, at least, that portion of them which projects beyond the line of the iiy-gallery to receive the iiats and wings when run out in full view of the auditorium.

It is well known to persons familiar with the construction of the stages of ordinary theaters that the width of the stage is commonly about twenty -six feet between the floor fly-grooves and the distance between the ily-galleries about double the said width, or fifty-two f'eet, making the fly-gallery on either side of the stage recede from the extreme point of the grooves, both upon the iioor of the stage, as well as at the height of the s aid ily-gallery, about thirteen and a half feet. This portionV of the grooves projecting beyond the fly-galleries above the stage, and on either side thereof, is likewise most commonly made in two projecting sections, the outer group of which, being hinged to the inner group of grooves, may be elevated or lowered at the pleasu ness it is to attend to the changes of the scenes required by the play or exhibition. Now, my improvement has for itsespecial object an arrangement of those grooves which project beyond the ily-galleries over the stage, so that the whole of said group or stack may the employees whose busibeelevated to a height equal to that of the fly-galleries, or higher, if so desired, by which means the scenic area of the stage is increased, both in width as well as in elevation.

Another advantage gained by being enabled to elevate the whole of that portion of the stack of grooves which projects beyond the exterior line of the iiy-galleries is that thc side scenes or flats may be lifted from the floor-grooves and turned to any angle of position desired, and held thereto by the weight of the said upper movable stack of grooves, which may be allowed to rest thereupon for that purpose.

In addition to the improvements above named, I have likewise provided a means by which that portion of the grooves beneath the ily-galleries may be regulated-that is, put in parallel lines with those upon the stage-floor, or leveled, or otherwise adjusted, in the event of their having been misplaced or disarranged by reason of the settling of the iiy-galleries with which they are usually connected.

My improvement will now be more clearly understood by reference to the drawing, whereon A represents a cross-section of the iiy-gallery of a theater. To the outer or stage side of said gallery I secure rigidly the grooved nprights a, in or between which I provide a traveler, B. To this traveler I attach the stack of grooves made, as will be perceived,

in two sections,C and D. The traveler and f with it the said grooves C and D may be raised or lowered at the pleasure of the operator by means of a pulley, drum, ropes, Sac.,

or the usual appliances employed in a theater A for raising or lowering the drops or other scenery. When the section D is lowered to the lower extremity of the slides aforesaid,

and the section C is dropped down to a level v with that of the said section D the three sections of grooves-namely, G, D, and those beneath the fly-gallery, which are shown at E will be on one continuons horizontal line, and in a condition to receive the flats and wings which slide therein. Y

Vhen it is desired to enlarge the scenic area, all that is necessary to do is to run the dats and wings back beneath the ily-gallery, fold up the section C, as shown in the drawing, and elevate the sections D and C, and, as

will be clearly perceived, the scenic area is increased both in height and in width, a result, in many instances, (as experience has de1nonstrated,) which is exceedingly desirable. F F are metal rods Which suspend the stack of grooves from the iiy-gallery. These are provided at their upper extremities With screwthreads and nuts, by means of which the adjustability of the said grooves C, D, and E may be regulated, raised, or lowered, as desired and as before mentioned.

Having described my invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent is the'following:

l. The stack of adjustable stagegrooves herein described, consisting of the traveler B and sections C and D, When arranged and operated as described.

2. The adjusting-rods F F', in combination With the flygallery A and lower grooves E, when constructed substantially as and for the purpose speeied.

WVM. HYLAND.

Vitnesses H. N. JENKINS, JAMES C. KIDDELL. 

